Quests, Sacrifices, and a Hot Apollo Healer Nico Won't Admit He Likes
by hoard-of-stars
Summary: Nico goes on a quest with Kayla Knowles from the Apollo Cabin. Only he returns and he feels guilty about it. He also goes into a 6 week coma \ (ツ) / . Will berates him for his no friend mentality. T for blood, sadness, language, etc. One-shot!


I almost blacked out from shadow travelling back from Antarctica, the final part of the quest for my father being complete after almost a year. I staggered across the grass, leaning on my sword with one hand and using the other arm to keep my insides from spilling out. I saw blinding lights and spots were dancing behind my eyes, and my broken leg, only partially healed, flared with searing, white-hot pain with every step I took. Blood from the gash down my cheek was dripping down my face like red, metallic tasting tears, but the only thing I could think about was , how I failed my companion. Real tears mixed with the bloody substitutes as the scene replayed in my mind, but I shook it away and surged forward. I grabbed the nearest camper with my sword arm. "Where is Chiron? Tell me. Now!" I growled, panicked. "In a head counselors meeting." squeaked the camper. I was sorry for giving them a start, because I knew I looked like a mess, but I couldn't dwell on that now. Letting go of my sword-cane, I tried to shift the balance so that my good leg had more weight on it, but only made it worse. I shook my head, braced myself, and rammed into the door with my shoulder, once, twice, three times. The hinges gave way and I fell with the door, landing on my bad leg. I groped for my sword as I tried to steady myself and not let my guts spill out onto the floor. "Chiron," I choked. "They're coming." I tried to stay calm but my voice was rapidly rising. The shock on everyone's face was obvious. I took a few steps forward and almost fell on my face. I heard somebody stand up so fast their chair toppled over. "Sit _down,_ Solace!" I grumbled (a few people chuckled), then turned my attention back to Chiron. "They're coming- the giants… they're coming to attack the camp- you have to listen to me!" Flashbacks from the quest and Tartarus and being trapped in that horrible jar all played in my mind and fueled my terror. "O-Otis and Eph-ph-ialtes are coming to attack the camp- they think they can weaken the borders." I was latching onto to anything that I could in order to get closer to Chiron. He had to know- it was important, so important… I wanted to break down. "They- they had the j-jar." My voice cracked. "Lock up all demigods who could cause trouble- tossed into T-T-Tartar-u-us. No escape-" I was a foot away from Chiron, who looked concerned. Clarisse looked like she was forming dozens of war plans in her head. Percy and Annabeth were exchanging worried looks, and Will looked like he was going to pass out. "Not important- they're coming, Chiron, they're coming!" He only nodded. "Your companion." he pressed. "What became of her? Kayla Knowles, from the Apollo cabin." I couldn't look him in the eyes. "Dead…" I whispered. "Dead- my fault, attacked in the Sahara by the twin giants, chased us across the desert, knocked my sword out of my hands- I turned around for not even a minute…" I searched Chiron's face desperately for a hint of understanding, a trace of humanity. "I turned around- they had her, I went to attack and- oh my gods… she stabbed the one holding her and then pushed me away. I had grabbed her, we were about to shadow travel away. I wasn't so strong but it was the only way to save our lives. At the last second she let go, I had one last glimpse of the giants on her. And I wanted to do everything for her but I was powerless to do anything- I just remember the darkness." My face lost colour and I suddenly doubled over on my broken leg, retching and hacking, and threw up almost 100% blood. A lot of it was on Chiron's shirt. A blond figure made its way to my side as I gazed up at Chiron, my vision blurred and bleary through unshed tears. "I'm so- sorry-" I didn't get to finish the sentence before I threw up more blood. Everything was spinning, and so many people were surrounding me. "He needs a medic. Will, can you handle it? Clarisse, start organizing troops for the giant attack. Percy, Annabeth, help Will bring Nico to the infirmary. Watch his stomach." I wrapped an arm around my slashed open stomach through a haze of pain. "You're gonna be fine, Neeks." Will kept whispering. "Hang in there, man." Percy muttered like a chant. Annabeth said nothing, but her face was full of concern and regret. I closed my eyes and gave myself to the familiar feeling of darkness.

I remember little to nothing. There was blue and yellow and black. Green and gray too. Chocolate brown that I wanted to hug and say that everything was alright. But it was like paralysis. I was powerless and I hated it.

When I woke up, I saw white. " _NICO DI ANGELO ISN'T GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT, BITCH!"_ I yelled, launching upright and thinking I was dying. Something toppled over and somebody screamed and someone else went _oof._ Wait- I think that was me. The pain in my gut was intense. "Di Angelo…" Will rose shakily and rubbed his head. "I swear to all the gods- wAIT YoU'RE AliVE?" "Obviously!" I glared. Three things came to my mind. I thought of my cat and panicked. I thought of Kayla and her sacrifice to keep me alive and felt like puking. I thought of the giants and panicked even more. "WHERE THE HELL IS MY CAT, SOLACE?" I shouted. "And _where is my Stygian Iron sword?_ I got a battle to fight!" Will put his hands on his hips and knelt down. A lock of floppy golden hair fell into his face. He looked up and thrust my cat in my face. "This one-" He glared at my cat. "Decided to camp out under your bed ever since you were admitted here. A pain in the neck, she is." I didn't even tell him to shut up. Girlie curled around my neck and purred. "Why is it so quiet?" I said suddenly. "Oh, your friends are coming in about 10 minutes." "Friends? I have no friends."I replied quietly. Will suddenly became angry. "Well, I'm sorry, Mister Get-My-Stomach-Chopped-Open-and-My-Doctor's-Sister-Killed-and-Leave-It-To-My-Doctor-to-Save-My-Rear-Again! If you call the seven demigods who decided to visit unconscious you every single day since you arrived her bloody and beaten NOT YOUR FRIENDS then I don't know who they are!" That stung. "Well, how long have I even been out? A few days? A week, worst case? Gimme my sword and let me go fight!" I said icily. "I'll be out of your hair then!" "Not happening. A week is really funny. More like the past 6 weeks!" I almost screamed.

` Will paused. "You had us all really worried, dumbhead. Hazel thought for sure you were done for. She cried over you, you know that, right? Everyone did. Oh wait, here they come now." Will waved his hand towards the door. "Hey, Will, is he still- OH MY GODS LOOK WHO'S ALIVE!" Piper screamed and almost jumped on me. "BEEN THERE DONE THAT!" Somebody else yelled. "Valdez?" I asked groggily, kinda confused. "GUESS WHO DIED AND CAME BACK BITCH!" he shouted with glee. "Big brother, I will personally hand you over to Dad if you ever do that to me again!" Hazel hugged me with all her might. "Missed you too, baby sis." I whispered. Jason and Percy were both sobbing in a corner and trying to deny it ("What are you TaLkInG about Annabeth No I aM nOt CrYing how dare you accuse me of such treachery!") I rolled my eyes at that. "THE ATTACK PEOPLE!" I growled. "Oh, yeah. That." Frank smiled. "Thanks to you we were able to turn then into dust in less than an hour of them arriving. Good job."

Will was able to get everyone out of the infirmary and he even returned my sword. Nice. But you know what was even nicer? When he dragged me behind the Hades Cabin, berated me for scaring the living dead out of everyone, and to shut him up, I grabbed his shirt in my fist and full on kissed him.

And he kissed me back.


End file.
